Forget the clichés: with the right state of mind, there’s no reason mid-life can’t be a time for women at the top of their game, say the authors of Your Hormone Doctor: Healthier, Happier, Sexier And Slimmer At Any Age (Michael Joseph, £12.99)
Leah Hardy, former editor of Cosmopolitan; Susie Rogers, founder and teacher at BeautyWorksWest – the first Pilates studio in Notting Hill; and Dr Daniel Sister, world-renowned anti-ageing specialist all agree that an attitude adjustment can reap big changes.
‘The more we spoke about the fabulous, amazing, age-defying women who have totally inspired us, the more we realised it’s all about the attitude,’ they say. And science backs them up: a 2006 study published in the journal Progress In Brain Research found that the less our brains do, the more they degrade. What does this prove? It’s not our age that makes our brains less effective, it’s thinking we are too old to learn and do new things.
How to think yourself younger:
1 Stop telling people your age – ‘old enough’ is a good answer.
2 Hang out with younger people. It could help you live longer, and weddings are more fun than funerals.
3 Don’t think vanity is a bad thing. Book that hair appointment, buy those amazing shoes.
4 Stop whining about your age and ailments and do something positive instead. Encourage your friends to do the same.
5 Get a project. Have things to look forward to, be it a house, job or a holiday.
6 Do stuff you love that makes you feel passionate, happy and alive. A 2011 study in the journal Psychology And Aging found that a smile takes two years off your age.
Get involved! Tweet and share your tips and experiences with others who wish to learn more about hormones @healthymag using #FeelgoodFebruary
Check out Your Hormone Doctor: Healthier, Happier, Sexier And Slimmer At Any Age (Michael Joseph, £12.99) for more information.